It's been too long! Petite Sirah! Two years later.

I used to buy and drink a lot of Petite Sirah but found I did not have the patience needed to allow it to mature. I then found my palate shifting to where I did not appreciate the big fruit as much. At least that’s what I thought. Lately I have been drinking wines with more stuffing and structure and have found myself enjoying them. Maybe it’s the combination of the cooler/wetter Winter weather and rich Holiday meals. Who knows for sure?

I haven’t opened a bottle of Petite Sirah since March and that one was an '08 Hayfork and was not ready. After my recent cellar sell off I was left with just 4 bottles of PS. Looking through my cellar yesterday for something to pop while I watched the NFL I broke down I said WTF and pulled a 2007 C Beck Napa Valley Petite Sirah. Did well as a stand alone wine with mouth-staining black ripe '07 fruit but plenty of supporting acid and fairly tame (for PS) tannins. Have 1/2 a bottle to enjoy with dinner this evening and I’m looking forward to it.

What Petite Sirah have you enjoyed lately? If not, why not? It’s been too long!

Love PS. I have 2 05 Chase Hayne vineyards, some 09 and 08 Kent Rassmussen, and some Turleys all hiding in my modest wine fridge. Maybe one of the Chase will be killed soon; it’s been a few years since my last (delicious) bottle.

Had the '07 Carlisle Palisades recently. It’s in a great place right now.

My Turleys, Hayne and Library, found a new home.

Rat, I continue to buy and enjoy the variety, even in the face of seeing my palate turning towards what is mostly now acidic, lean and esoteric, crappy wines.

I had a couple Switchback over the last several months and enjoy the varietal, but will say that it’s better for me in the cooler weather, for sure.

Have couple '09 SBR’s in stock still. May have to stand one up soon.

Hayfork

I like them even when they are too young. We had the Outpost (09 I think) recently and enjoyed it although it was more distinctively Outpost than PS

Had a 2007 Mazzocco Pony Reserve P.S. lately that was just gorgeous - both nose and palate - it competed nicely with a couple of higher end cabs as far as WOTN.

Wow, you guys drink PS under a decade old? You must have palates of steel. I’ve had a couple of '74s in the past year - a Freemark Abbey at Bern’s, a $10 Sonoma POS off of winebid, that were quite nice.

I buy about two a year and hope in twenty years I will like petite Syrah

I’ve always asserted a minority opinion about aging petite sirah. I give the wines air, but I also like structure in my wines when I drink them, more than it seems most regardless of varietal.

But to think of waiting 20 years on these wines, I don’t buy it.

had a 2012 Switchback PS and it was a tad over the top on alcohol. I smelled like a whino the next day. Need to air out better next time or better yet - give them a few years of age.

I’ve got Switchbacks dating back to 2001, and a bunch of Robert Foleys. I try to give them at least 8-10 years. The Switchback Old Vine Petites are awesome. I’ve had to hide them from me!!!

2001 Chateau Montelena Petite Sirah - USA, California, Napa Valley (12/15/2014)
Cork was dry and broke apart easily. Wine decanted through a coffee filter is quite fragrant. Amy could smell it upstairs. The color is black-red with no sign of bricking. Luxurious nose of plums, cherries, and raspberries with hints of coffee. Thick and silky in the mouth. Tannins are covered in a wall of chocolate-covered cherries. I don’t know if it is the Montelena house style or if they actually blended in some cab, but it really has a Montelena Cab quality to it. Goes really well with steak. Should drink well for 2 decades more. Note that I am a tannin head and a Petite freak.
Open now 11 days: Has really mellowed. This is gorgeous now. The tannin is still there, but softer and the wine is more complex, with a very long finish of blackberries and cranberries, licorice, and nutmeg. (93 pts.)

Posted from CellarTracker

Had one Saturday. Hour decant but still had some heat at first. Kept improving during the course of the evening. Agree these need some years put on them, but it was sure tasty.

Biale Petite Syrah is without a doubt my favorite

Two bottles of each 1994, 1995, and 1997 Turley Hayne are laying in my offsite storage. I have no clue when these will be or were ready? Anyone know?

I like PS as well and like you haven’t drunk any in at least a year. The last one I had was a Stags Leap if I remember right and it was quite nice. i just checked my cellar tracker and to my dismay only have a single 12 Turley Rattlesnake Ridge remaining. Bummer.

Great idea for a thread BTW, I need to find some new gems as well. Does Chateau Montelena still make a Petite Syrah?

Last vintage was 2009

Daniel,

I’ll buy them all from you, drink one of each and tell when they would have been ready.

If you sacrifice one bottle and I suggest a 94, you should be able to get a good idea, based on your palate. Depending on the producer, I’ve had 94’s that were austere and fading, a very few that needed some time, as well as ones that were hot mess prune juice. 94 wasn’t the most popular year but the other two are, but again, certain producers make great wines in off years.